Energy measuring apparatus



Dec. 26, 1967 c. LUKENS ENERGY MEASURiNG APPARATUS Filed July 8, 1965 INVENTOR. CHARLES LUKE NS ATTORNEYS WEIGHT United States Patent 3,359,792 ENERGY MEASURING APPARATUS Charles Lukens, Cheltenham, Pa., assiguor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed July 8, 1965, Ser. No. 470,642 4 Claims. (Cl. 73-167) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An arrangement for measuring the energy of an armed timer firing pin to which a sprag assembly rests on and overlies a vertical passage of a horizontal support. The sprag assembly is capable of suspending a rod extending through the passage and carrying a weight having a downwardly opening recess to operationally accommodate a sensitive portion of the firing pin. The sprag assembly includes an apertured sheet metal member having a pair of reverse bends that encompass respective gravity actuated inserts. Adjacent edges of the inserts each have a recess the diameter of which is slightly smaller than the rod diameter, and the reverse bends have a mid-span opening facilitating release of the rod after a completed measurement has been obtained at an elevated rod position.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without t-he payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for test measuring the energy of the firing pin of a timer for detonating media, and more particularly, to an improved meter test apparatus which is relatively simple, more reliable, and more easily operated than prior arrangements.

Dial indicating gauge arrangements for energy-test measuring of firing pins were defective in that the hammer-like blow batted the gauge plunger, not only resulting in rough, destructive use of the gauge, but also in erroneous indications or values. The present test measuring arrangement obviates defects of this sort.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially broken away in section, of a preferred firing pin kinetic energy testing arrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view along line 2 -2 of FIG. 1 with parts removed showing the sprag assembly.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

An appropriate mounting block (FIG. 1) is supported in an elevated position above a base 11 by suitable pairs of upright legs or standards 12. Each timer 13 to undergo the energy test is clamped within block 10 by means (not shown) such that the setting or control knob 14 of and depending from the timer is accessible in the space between the uprights. Horizontal or lateral support member 15, which is rigidly secured to block 10 by a longitudinal or vertical post or support 16, preferably has a frusto-conical shaped opening 17 extending vertically therethrough in substantially spaced vertical alignment with the cocked or armed timer firing pin 18. A gravity operated sprag assembly, shown generally at 19 and hereinafter described, is placed over the support opening 17 with rod 20 extending through opening 17 and suspend able by the sprag assembly 19, Weight 21, which is adjustably secured to rod 20 by set screw 22, is provided with a downwardly extending central projection 23 that is receivable in a central upwardly opening recess 24 of block 10. Projection 23 has its end formed with a central downwardly opening recess 25 for accommodating the tip of the timer firing pin 18. The weight and rod assembly is adjusted by setting of screw 22 such that the upper portion of the rod 20 extends through and past support opening 17 and sprag assembly 19 when the projection 23 of weight 21 rests upon the firing pin 18 at the commencement of the energy test measurement thereof as will be determined by the setting of control knob 14.

Sprag assembly 19 includes a sheet 30 of preferably metallic material whose end portions 31, 32 are reversely formed substantially as return bends with suflicient internal clearances to accommodate respective ones of a pair of gravity functioning blade-like inserts 33, 34. If desired, the inserts may be spring actuated. Sheet 30 has a bottom central aperture 35 (FIG. 3) to receive rod 20 and opposed inner edges of each insert are provided at mid-length thereof with an appropriate recess 36, 37 (FIG. 2), preferably of substantially semi-circular contour and of slightly smaller dimensions than the rod diameter so that edges of the recesses function to grip and prevent downward movement of the rod 20 while permitting relative upward movement thereof. The central portion of each return bend is provided with a suitable opening 38, 38 whereby exposed portions 39, 39 of each insert may be subjected to manual, inwardly directed forces to release the rod 20' from the sprag assembly when desired.

A measuring scale 40, preferably containing inch-ounce indicia 41 based upon an appropriate origin 42 for a given weight and rod assembly, is adjustably and vertically suspended from horizontal support 15 by any suitable means substantially adjacent and parallel to rod 20, such that upon actuation of the test timer firing pin 18 its kinetic energy, tossing or propelling the weight and rod assembly upward through the gravity-actuated sprag inserts, can be readily determined or observed. Preferably, the upper surface 21A of the weight is initially aligned with indicia origin 42 via adjustment of the scale mounting means.

Various modifications, changes or alterations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An assembly for test measuring the energy of an energy stored element such as a firing pin or the like, comprising a horizontally extending support member having a vertical opening therethrough,

a sprag assembly on said support and overlying said opening,

a rod extending through said opening and suspendable by said sprag assembly,

a weight secured to said rod for adjacently overlying said energy stored element, said weight having a downwardly opening recess for receiving a sensitive portion of said element.

so constructed and arranged that upon release of said element it will propel said weight to elevate said rod relative to said sprag assembly.

2. The arrangement in accordance with claim 1 in which a scale is suspended from said support member substantially parallel and adjacent to said rod, and said weight has means thereon initially in horizontal alignment with an indicia origin of said scale.

3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said 3,359,792 3 4 sprag assembly comprises a pair of gravity actuated in- References Cited serts encompassed by corresponding reverse bends of an UNITED STATESPATENTS apertured sheet metal member.

4. The structure of claim 3 in Which said reverse bends 2,372,195 3/1943 GOT/[On 73-12 XR contain a mid-span opening, and adjacent edges of said in- 5 31106334 10/1963 Pal-staffer 73-42 serts each have a recess the diameter of which is slightly I smaller than the diameter of said rod. DAVID SCHONBERG Prlm'my Exam 

1. AN ASSEMBLY FOR TEST MEASURING THE ENERGY OF AN ENERGY STORED ELEMENT SUCH AS A FIRING PIN FOR THE LIKE, COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A VERTICAL OPENING THERETHROUGH, A SPRAG ASSEMBLY ON SAID SUPPORT AND OVERLYING SAID OPENING, A ROD EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND SUSPENDABLE BY SAID SPRAY ASSMELBY,, A WEIGHT SECURED TO SAID ROD FOR ADJACENTLY OVERLYING SAID ENERGY STORED ELEMENT, SAID WEIGHT HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING RECESES FOR RECEIVING A SENSITIVE PORTION OF SAID ELEMENT. SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT UPON RELEASE OF SAID ELEMENT IT WILL PROPEL SAID WEIGHT TO ELEVATE SAID ROD RELATIVE TO SAID SPRAY ASSEMBLY. 